Customer Profile

Frontiers June 2014 Issue

CUSTOMER PROFILE
hub of opportunity
Frontiers June 2014 19
Copa Airlines relies on 737s to connect Panama
to booming Latin America market
By Jim Proulx
A major factor in business
success is being in the right
place at the right time. Copa
Airlines is a prime example. Copa’s
Hub of the Americas is based at
Tocumen International Airport in
Panama City. Seated at the juncture of
two vast continents, Copa connects
travelers throughout North, Central
and South America and the Caribbean.
And it is doing so using Boeing’s
best-selling Next-Generation 737.
“The Next-Generation 737 has
been fundamental to Copa’s efforts
to create the premier airline in Latin
America,” said Pedro Heilbron, chief
executive officer of Copa Airlines. “A
better product means a better travel
experience for our passengers, in terms
of comfort, performance and reliability.
We appreciate how Boeing constantly
works with us to give us an even better
737 to meet our operational needs.”
The 737 forms the backbone of
Copa’s 91-airplane fleet. The airliner
operates more than 60 737-700s and
737-800s. Heilbron said the 737 is key to
Copa’s strong on-time performance and
reliable schedule—and cost savings.
Copa was the first carrier in Latin
America to offer the 737 Boeing Sky
Interior, the first in Latin America to
operate advanced RNP (required
navigation performance) procedures
and the first in Latin America to add
the Blended Winglet to its 737 fleet. In
April, Copa also became first in Latin
America to install the new Split Scimitar
winglet, developed by Aviation Partners
Boeing, on a 737-800.
Founded in 1947 as Compañía
Panameña de Aviación, S.A., Copa
began service as the national carrier of
Panama by operating domestic flights
to three cities around the country using
Douglas DC-3s.
Today, all Copa’s flights from
Tocumen are international. The airline
serves daily scheduled flights to
69 destinations in 30 countries. Its
subsidiary, Copa Colombia, operates
domestic flights within Colombia, plus
several regional international routes—
with more planned for the future.
In 1998, Copa Airlines began a
strategic alliance with Continental
Airlines, conducting joint marketing
and code-sharing arrangements and
frequent-flyer programs. That alliance is
reflected in Copa’s livery. It is a similar
livery to that of United, which merged
with Continental in 2010.
Heilbron said Copa will continue to
do what it does best—use its growing
fleet of 737s to expand service in the
fast-growing Latin America market while
focusing on low cost and superior service.
In 2013, Copa earned “Best Airline
in Central America and the Caribbean”
honors from Skytrax.
“Copa Airlines has been a great
partner for Boeing for decades,” said
Van Rex Gallard, vice president, Sales,
Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Copa
has taken the great efficiency, reliability
and low-operating cost of the Next-
Generation 737 and has used it to build a
great product for its passengers, a great
asset for the nation of Panama and a
great investment for its shareholders.” n
jim.proulx@boeing.com
GRAPHIC: The 737 forms the backbone
of the Copa Airlines fleet. Shown is a
737-800 with a new post-production
Split Scimitar winglet. BOEING